Arsenal have been here before, according to Rio Ferdinand.
The former Manchester United defender has claimed that Alexis Sanchez is destined to leave the club this summer, after growing frustrated at the Emirates.
Following Arsenal’s humiliating 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening, Ferdinand claimed that Sanchez will effectively use the club as a stepping stone to join a team where he has a more realistic chance of winning trophies.
Not a great night for Arsenal fans https://t.co/KdLiWPuL0M
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) March 8, 2017
“I think we’re at a place where Arsenal football club, and Arsenal fans, are used to their star player wanting to leave for pastures new to win trophies,” Ferdinand said on BT Sports following the Champions League tie.
“We’ve seen it with Cesc Fabregas, with (Bacary) Sagna, with Robin van Persie, with (Gael) Clichy with (Samir) Nasri, they were all integral parts of this football club left to go win trophies and we’re here again with Sanchez.”
Ferdinand has a point. Fabregas left for boyhood club Barcelona in 2011 and Van Persie joined Manchester United the following summer.
Both had captained Arsenal before they left, and both went on to win league titles elsewhere, as did Clichy and Nasri at Manchester City.
"I'm finished with this, fam. I'm finished with this, blood" https://t.co/OHtmDMjTms
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) March 8, 2017
Arsenal fans thought the days of their star players leaving in order to win trophies were over, which makes the situation with Sanchez more difficult to take.
The Chilean has looked miserable in recent months and was dropped for the 3-1 loss to Liverpool, following an alleged training ground bust-up.
Ferdinand says Sanchez’s desire to win major trophies mean he’ll be playing elsewhere next season.
“He’s someone who’s winning with Chile,” the former England defender said.
“He wants to do it with club football and he doesn’t see that happening here.
“I do think in players’ lifespans at football clubs there are moments that makes a player make his mind up, the Bayern game was a huge moment for Sanchez.
“He thought ‘I am so far away from winning this elite trophy’ because they’ve been beaten out of sight.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhgULoZk6-E
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